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from the carving…knife in an affair with a goose of iron constitution
in which I came off second best。 I at once adjourned with Dr。
Benjamin to his small office； and put myself in his hands。 It was
astonishing to see what a little experience of miscellaneous practice
had done for him。 He did not ask me anymore questions about my
hereditary predispositions on the paternal and maternal sides。 He
did not examine me with the stethoscope or the laryngoscope。 He only
strapped up my cut； and informed me that it would speedily get well
by the 〃first intention；〃an odd phrase enough； but sounding much
less formidable than cutis oenea。
I am afraid I have had something of the French prejudice which
embodies itself in the maxim 〃young surgeon； old physician。〃 But a
young physician who has been taught by great masters of the
profession； in ample hospitals； starts in his profession knowing more
than some old doctors have learned in a lifetime。 Give him a little
time to get the use of his wits in emergencies； and to know the
little arts that do so much for a patient's comfort；just as you
give a young sailor time to get his sea…legs on and teach his stomach
to behave itself；and he will do well enough。
The old Master knows ten times more about this matter and about all
the professions； as he does about everything else； than I do。 My
opinion is that he has studied two； if not three； of these
professions in a regular course。 I don't know that he has ever
preached； except as Charles Lamb said Coleridge always did； for when
he gets the bit in his teeth he runs away with the conversation； and
if he only took a text his talk would be a sermon； but if he has not
preached； he has made a study of theology； as many laymen do。 I know
he has some shelves of medical books in his library； and has ideas on
the subject of the healing art。 He confesses to having attended law
lectures and having had much intercourse with lawyers。 So he has
something to say on almost any subject that happens to come up。 I
told him my story about my visit to the young doctor； and asked him
what he thought of youthful practitioners in general and of Dr。
Benjamin in particular。
I 'll tell you what；the Master said；I know something about these
young fellows that come home with their heads full of 〃science；〃 as
they call it； and stick up their signs to tell people they know how
to cure their headaches and stomach…aches。 Science is a first…rate
piece of furniture for a man's upper chamber； if he has common sense
on the ground…floor。 But if a man has n't got plenty of good common
sense； the more science he has the worse for his patient。
I don't know that I see exactly how it is worse for the patient；I
said。
Well； I'll tell you； and you'll find it's a mighty simple matter。
When a person is sick； there is always something to be done for him；
and done at once。 If it is only to open or shut a window； if it is
only to tell him to keep on doing just what he is doing already； it
wants a man to bring his mind right down to the fact of the present
case and its immediate needs。 Now the present case； as the doctor
sees it； is just exactly such a collection of paltry individual facts
as never was before；a snarl and tangle of special conditions which
it is his business to wind as much thread out of as he can。 It is a
good deal as when a painter goes to take the portrait of any sitter
who happens to send for him。 He has seen just such noses and just
such eyes and just such mouths； but he never saw exactly such a face
before； and his business is with that and no other person's；with
the features of the worthy father of a family before him； and not
with the portraits he has seen in galleries or books； or Mr。
Copley's grand pictures of the fine old Tories； or the Apollos and
Jupiters of Greek sculpture。 It is the same thing with the patient。
His disease has features of its own； there never was and never will
be another case in all respects exactly like it。 If a doctor has
science without common sense； he treats a fever； but not this man's
fever。 If he has common sense without science； he treats this man's
fever without knowing the general laws that govern all fevers and all
vital movements。 I 'll tell you what saves these last fellows。 They
go for weakness whenever they see it； with stimulants and
strengtheners； and they go for overaction； heat； and high pulse； and
the rest； with cooling and reducing remedies。 That is three quarters
of medical practice。 The other quarter wants science and common
sense too。 But the men that have science only； begin too far back；
and； before they get as far as the case in hand； the patient has very
likely gone to visit his deceased relatives。 You remember Thomas
Prince's 〃Chronological History of New England；〃 I suppose？ He
begins； you recollect； with Adam； and has to work down five thousand
six hundred and twenty…four years before he gets to the Pilgrim
fathers and the Mayflower。 It was all very well； only it did n't
belong there； but got in the way of something else。 So it is with
〃science〃 out of place。 By far the larger part of the facts of
structure and function you find in the books of anatomy and
physiology have no immediate application to the daily duties of the
practitioner。 You must learn systematically； for all that； it is the
easiest way and the only way that takes hold of the memory； except
mere empirical repetition； like that of the handicraftsman。 Did you
ever see one of those Japanese figures with the points for
acupuncture marked upon it？
I had to own that my schooling had left out that piece of
information。
Well； I 'll tell you about it。 You see they have a way of pushing
long； slender needles into you for the cure of rheumatism and other
complaints； and it seems there is a choice of spots for the
operation； though it is very strange how little mischief it does in a
good many places one would think unsafe to meddle with。 So they had
a doll made； and marked the spots where they had put in needles
without doing any harm。 They must have had accidents from sticking
the needles into the wrong places now and then； but I suppose they
did n't say a great deal about those。 After a time； say a few
centuries of experience； they had their doll all spotted over with
safe places for sticking in the needles。 That is their way of
registering practical knowledge： We； on the other hand； study the
structure of the body as a whole； systematically； and have no
difficulty at all in remembering the track of the great vessels and
nerves； and knowing just what tracks will be safe and what unsafe。
It is just the same thing with the geologists。 Here is a man close
by us boring for water through one of our ledges； because somebody
else got water somewhere else in that way； and a person who knows
geology or ought to know it； because he has given his life to it；
tells me he might as well bore there for lager…beer as for water。
I thought we had had enough of this particular matter； and that I
should like to hear what the Master had to say about the three
professions he knew something about； each compared with the others。
What is your general estimate of doctors； lawyers； and ministers？
said I。
Wait a minute； till I have got through with your first question；
said the Master。…One thing at a time。 You asked me about the young
doctors； and about our young doctor。 They come home tres biens
chausses； as a Frenchman would say； mighty well shod with
professional knowledge。 But when they begin walking round among
their poor patients； they don't commonly start with millionnaires；
they find that their new shoes of scientific acquirements have got to
be broken in just like a pair of boots or brogans。 I don't know that
I have put it quite strong enough。 Let me try again。 You've seen
those fellows at the circus that get up on horseback so big that you
wonder how they could climb into the saddle。 But pretty soon they
throw off their outside coat； and the next minute another one； and
then the one under that； and so they keep peeling off one garment
after another till people begin to look queer and think they are
going too far for strict propriety。 Well； that is the way a fellow
with a real practical turn serves a good many of his scientific
wrappers； flings 'em off for other people to pick up； and goes right
at the work of curing stomach…aches and all the other little mean
unscientific complaints that make up the larger part of every
doctor's business。 I think our Dr。 Benjamin is a worthy young man；
and if you are in need of a doctor at any time I hope you will go to
him； and if you come off without harm； I will recommend some other
friend to try him。
I thought he was going to say he would try him in his own person；
but the Master is not fond of committing himself。
Now； I will answer your other question； he said。 The lawyers are the
cleverest men； the ministers are the most learned； and the doctors
are the most sensible。
The lawyers are a picked lot； 〃first scholars〃 and the like； but
their business is as unsympathetic as Jack Ketch's。 There is nothing
humanizing in their relations with their fello